


Old Friends, New Places

by Talullah



Category: Hindu Mythology
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 22:31:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5067013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talullah/pseuds/Talullah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mithra is in town and wants to see Varuna.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old Friends, New Places

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kalloway](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalloway/gifts).



> Written for Kalloway, for the [Trick or Treat Ex 2015](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/trickortreat2015).
> 
> Kalloway's 'dear author' letter mentioned the following: "Varuna is known for being strict and carries out the law. Indra seems to get into a lot of trouble. Vritra is a terrible dragon. Mitra might have a cult over there. Agni... keeps getting asked to keep the tea warm? Uncommon myths, deities being domestic, sneaking into temples after hours..."
> 
> Dear Kalloway, I know I wasn't very much on-spot with your request. I hope you don't mind the modern day setting. It was the way these two spoke to me since the beggining and after a while I just let it roll they way they wanted it. Hope you enjoy it, at least a little.
> 
> Many thanks to Alex Cat for the super quick beta!
> 
> [Disclaimer/Blanket Statement](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Talullah/profile)

“This coffee is shit,” Mithra said, throwing his latte to the garbage can with perfect aim. It hit the bottom with a satisfying thud. “But I do love New York,” he added, looking around at the tall buildings surrounding the square. “What a grand place.”

Varuna sighed in fake resignation as they walked on. Mithra was over-expansive but both knew, deep down Varuna enjoyed his boisterousness. “Listen,” he said, “I have an early session and I still need to review some things.” A yellow cab honked in passing, drowning his last few words.

“Lighten up,” Mithra replied, unfazed. He picked a bench and sat. “I won’t be in town for long. I just wanted to see you. It’s been a while.”

Varuna winced as he sat by his side. The air was cold in the unpleasant, wet way that promised snow soon. “Yeah,” he replied, after a moment, lowering his head. “I’ve been busy.”

“You’re always busy,” Mithra quipped. “I wonder how millennia of business has not worn you down.”

“That’s who I am. We’ve been over this and I’m not one of your oh-so-very-insightful-followers. By the way, how is that going?”

“It’s going great!” Mithra cheerfully retorted. He has always loved grating Varuna’s nerves, and it’s still so damned easy. “The new book came out straight to the top of the New York Times list and I’m scheduled to tour for the next four months, Canada and the UK too.”

“Shiva’s balls,” Varuna muttered. “Don’t these Americans get enough self-help ever? And don’t you get fed up from all these women fawning all over you, drinking every word and then making the same mistakes they’ve always made?”

“Men do that too,” Mithra coolly replied.

“Of course they do, but they don’t fawn over you.”

“I meant, now men fawn over me too – the new book was written specifically for men. It addresses identity problems, how to solve daddy issues, mid-life crisis, stepping up to bosses and general assertiveness, confidence in dating, fitness, sex tips, social networks and personal marketing, conscious uncoupling, or otherwise dealing with your exes, parenting your children from afar… you name it. It’s been the wildest hit you can imagine. Or not,” Mithra added, clearly amused by Varuna’s frowning. “And,” he added, “just so that you know, I have a huge following in Europe too – self-help _is_ a thing.”

“And you’re the king of it,” Varuna hissed.

“Come on, people never change, why should gods?” Mithra taunted. “For instance, take a look at yourself in your nice lawyer suit, holding tight the fat briefcase. I thought that this time around you would be one of those tough cops, so I was surprised by this form but the fact is that you are still being Mr. Law and Order.”

Varuna’s lips twitched just a little. “True.”

“I am betting this case of yours even has something maritime in it. Maybe a drowning? Or something with shipping?”

“I’m an environmental lawyer, I’ve told you that.”

Mithra laughed. “See, that’s the difference between us, always has been.”

Varuna looked at his wristwatch and rose. “I really have to go now.”

“Are you angry?”

“Not at all, but Judge Kaminsky is remarkably intolerant with tardiness. I’m sorry we barely caught up.”

Mithra chuckled. “Yeah. This time we jumped straight into the fight. Maybe we could dine?”

Varuna hesitated for a moment. “Alright.”

Mithra lifted an eye brow. “What made you hesitate? Work or is there somebody…?”

Pinching his nose to hide a smile, Varuna shook his head. “Sometimes I really hate how well you know me. It’s someone but it’s not like that – it’s complicated. We can have dinner.”

“Alright. Text me the where-and-when,” Mithra said. They stood awkwardly, negotiating a terse embrace over a handshake.

* * *

“You were at the courthouse,” Varuna said, almost accusingly, before stuffing the bland asparagus into his mouth.

Mithra held his hands up. “It was an open hearing.”

“Mmm.” Varuna stared at the impossible mess on his plate. Being a fussy eater was certainly not his most appealing trait, he was aware. Mithra didn’t seem to mind it, though. He reached over the table and stuck his fork on the unfortunate greens, winking at Varuna nonchalantly.

“I would roll my eyes, were it not horribly predictable,” Varuna said.

Mithra chuckled with his mouth full. Gulping down his food, he parried, “Should I be worried? I mean, if I do the thing that you have always found the most annoying in a public place, after you have just lost a major battle in court and you still have the self-restraint…”

Varuna smiled sadly at the taunt. “I am sorry. I wanted to be nicer company… It’s been a while and you may not believe it, but sometimes I…” he cleared his throat. “Sometimes I miss your company.”

“Right,” Mithra said, wiping his mouth with the linen napkin. “So why aren’t you doing the work for the community you came here for?”

“They have been here for decades. They are hardly immigrants anymore. They now have their own lawyers and other protectors. Maybe I should go to Africa. There are still many of our people in Mozambique, for instance.”

“Varuna, our diaspora is everywhere in the world. I am not sure they need us any more, though.”

“So you offer self-help for fat white people, instead.”

“Fat white people are people, too, ok?” Mithra replied, smiling, but Varuna could see he had hit his mark. He also remembered why they had parted ways for a time. Some fights were nothing but recurring sentences repeated so often they almost lost all meaning.

Mithra sighed deeply and waved away the waiter with the dessert chart. “So who is this ‘complicated’ entity who made you hesitate in coming.”

Varuna placed his elbows on the table and sunk his face in his hands. “You don’t want to know.”

Mithra waited.

“So I was getting off the subway last spring and there was someone screaming, cops, a couple of paramedics, well, some incident that seemed to be controlled. And one man protesting and resisting arrest.”

Mithra raised his eyebrow.

“Agni. He left Kashmir when everyone fled and thought it was a good idea to come to the city.”

Mithra chuckled, earning an ugly scowl from Varuna.

“He was living on the streets and performing fire-breathing here and there. He thought it was a good idea to do it on the subway and burnt a woman.”

Mithra inhaled and sat back. “So, not as harmless an incident as I thought.”

“No, the woman was fine, just minor blistering in one arm, but there she filed a complaint. I bailed him out, settled a deal and gave him shelter.”

“Oh noes,” Mithra said with a smirk. “Poor you.” He could hardly contain the chuckles. Varuna wanted to be angry but he ended up laughing too.

“Yes. Poor me. No good deed… you know the drill. Nothing seems to convince him to go back home. Not all of us are meant to roam the world, and he, frankly, does not have the heart for the modern age.”

“You mean the wit,” Mithra saucily cut.

“Don’t be mean.”

“So, what do you think would work?”

“I don’t know. I’ve tried so many things, subtle and not-so-subtle.”

Mithra chuckled. “How about loud sex? I can see our prudish friend all appalled…”

Varuna shook his head. “No, not that.”

“I wasn’t asking if you had tried it. I was offering to help you with that.”

Varuna grinned a little too brightly.

“I was hoping you’d ask but I had pictured myself in your comfortable, unsinged sheets, at the hotel.”

“Singed sheets? That promises a story.”

“He was trying to help with chores. Thought they would dry faster if he added a little of his talents to the process…”

“Poor you, indeed,” Mithra said, reaching out and taking Varuna’s hand in his. Varuna didn’t recoil.

“I see that you are more… open to public displays of affection, let us put it like that,” Mithra said, rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin and searching his eyes.

“Yeah, that too.” I’ve had time to think. And like I said… I kind of missed you.”

“Well, well,” Mithra said, smiling. “I am not used to such admissions coming from you.” His smile turned into a mischievous grin. “So how about that loud sex, then? Two birds, one stone?”

Varuna grinned and signaled the waiter. “The check, please!”

_Finis  
October 2015_


End file.
